Moveable Obstruction

It seems that there is still some confusion between what is an Loose impediment and an movable obstruction, some exmaples below

Loose Impediments (natural)

Movable Obstruction (artificial)

stones

bunker rakes

leaves

other players’ golf clubs

branches and twigs

stakes (except out of bounds)

pine cones

signage and ropes

dung and droppings

bottles and cans

insects

score cards

worms and their casts

pens and pencils

spiders and their webs

paper, tissues

half-eaten fruit

plastic bags

fruit skins

packets and boxes

ant hills

toys

dead birds and animals

match sticks or cigarettes

aeration plugs

abandoned balls

clods of earth

loose stones from a wall

gravel

wood manufactured into planks

crushed shells

cables

wood chips

doors or windows

Note that sand and loose soil are only loose impediments on the putting green.

Movable obstructions can be removed anywhere on the course, including when the ball lies in a hazard, without penalty if the ball moves during the removal, but MUST be replaced.

If the ball lies in or on the obstruction, the ball may be lifted and the obstruction removed. The ball MUST then be dropped, or on the putting green placed, as near as possible to the spot directly under the place where the ball lay in or on the obstruction, not nearer the hole.

However, if a player’s ball lies in a bunker it is not permitted to remove any loose impediment from that bunker. With the exception when a Local Rule which states, “Stones in bunkers are movable obstructions”, is inforce.